Monster trucks, Ice Age: What's new at the Wilson County-Tennessee State Fair this year
It’s the third year of the Wilson County Fair — Tennessee State Fair, and last year’s attendance could be hard to beat.
The second combined county and state fair drew 776,195 people last year, which was well-beyond the 589,229 record set in 2013, when it was just the Wilson County Fair. The Wilson County and state fair collaboration began in 2021.
The partnership continues to grow, with $14 million dedicated to capital improvements and additional funding for road upgrades. The collaboration has also added youth competitions, brought in more business support and increased visibility to draw in more counties, Wilson County Promotions President Randall Clemons said.
“Attendance and youth involvement last year were record-setting," Tennessee Department of Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher said, "and while factors such as weather play a part in the turnout, visitor numbers indicate the partnership makes sense for Tennessee and fairgoers benefitted from it.”
So here we go with a rundown about this year’s fair:
Dates: Aug. 17-26.
Hours: Gates open at 5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 10 a.m. Saturdays; and noon on Sunday. Buildings and exhibits close around 10 p.m. Rides close around midnight or 1 a.m. on weekdays and usually earlier depending on demand during the week.
Venue: James E. Ward Agricultural Center, 945 E. Baddour Parkway, Lebanon.
Theme: 95 Reasons to Celebrate Tennessee, for the second straight year and likely for at least a couple more in an effort to promote participation from every county in the state.
Agricultural commodity: It's the Year of Corn. Events will include a corn-eating contest and a corn-everything digital photo contest. Cornstalks to make scarecrows named Scarecrow Goddess is another competition. All Rows Lead to Tennessee is a secondary theme, in reference to corn as the agricultural commodity.
Tickets
Daily admission: Adults — $12; ages 6-12 — $6; ages 5-and-under — free. Opening day is half-price.
Season tickets: $45 for all 10 days.
Rides: Ride tickets are $1, with two to five tickets generally required for specific rides. Unlimited-ride armbands are available each day. Costs are Sunday-Thursday $25; both Fridays $30; both Saturdays $35. $1 day rides are available opening day, Thursday, Aug. 17. Ride armbands do not include the Euro Slide.
Mega Tickets: $30 for single gate admission and a ride armband for one day. Must be purchased by Aug. 17. Available at the fair office or at any of the following banks: Bank of Tennessee in Lebanon; F&M Bank in Lebanon; First Tennessee Bank in Wilson County; or any Wilson Bank & Trust location.
Opening day
6 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 17: At the flagpole behind the Farm Bureau Expo Center. The opening parade will follow at 7 p.m.
By the numbers
More than 100 livestock shows.
More than 60 midway rides.
More than 100 concessionaires, over 150 activities and events, and north of 100 vendors and commercial booths.
Traffic and parking
Preferred parking is available for $10 as long as it lasts. Otherwise, parking is free and has been expanded by several acres.
There is also satellite parking at Cumberland University's Nokes-Lasater Field (415 Harding Drive), and at the First Baptist Church Lebanon (227 E. Main St.) and Wilson County Courthouse (228 E. Main St.), which are across the street from each other, with air-conditioned school buses to shuttle fairgoers to and from the fairgrounds.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation will have two HELP truck operators patrolling Interstate 40 around the exits nightly. TDOT will also utilize three portable cameras to help Traffic Management Center personnel spot potential problems.
Carpooling is encouraged. Information may also be available on the Wilson County Fair — Tennessee State Fair social media accounts and websites.
New security measures
A clear bag policy will be implemented. Approved bags according to the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office are:
Clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags that do not exceed 12-by-6-by-12 inches. A logo no larger than 4.5-by-3.4 inches can be displayed on one side of a permissible clear bag.
One gallon clear plastic freezer bag — Ziploc or similar.
Small clutch bags no larger than 4.5-by-6.5 inches or approximately hand-size, with or without a handle or strap.
Medically necessary items, after proper inspection and tagging.
Diaper bags accompanying a baby, after proper inspection and tagging.
Drones prohibited: A new policy prohibits the unauthorized use of drones at the fairgrounds. Citations will be issued to violators.
Metal detectors: Will be at each gate, with no guns or weapons allowed. The no-weapons policy includes people who hold a concealed weapons permit.
Wilson County Sheriff’s Office personnel will be on the grounds with staff assigned to a mobile command watching surveillance cameras. Multiple county, city and state agencies will also be involved.
Music and entertainment highlights
There will be 15 stages for entertainment, with music, events and activities held nightly.
Clogging and square-dancing competitions, pageants including Fairest of the Fair, and other musical artists and performers are also scheduled on stage and on the grounds. Two performer highlights include:
Point of Grace, 6 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 20
Little Texas, 7:30 p.m., Monday, Aug. 21, following the C-Dock Boyz at 5:30 p.m.
Motorsports
Events are scheduled nightly. They include:
A monster truck show at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Aug. 21 that is new this year. Outlaw, Muddy Girl, Shark Attack and Backdraft monster trucks will be at the show. Youths can ride the Sergeant Smash Monster Truck from 5-6:15 p.m., and after the show until 10:30 p.m.
Four Wheeler Rodeo is scheduled at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 24.
Popular demolition derby events return at 7 p.m. on the final Friday and Saturday of the fair. Truck and tractor pull events are scheduled Thursday through Saturday.
A remote control mini car demolition derby at 6 p.m., Monday, Aug. 21.
New structures
The 22,000-square-foot Made in Tennessee building will be used for the Best of Tennessee State Fair Champions and the Travel Tennessee exhibit that highlights Tennessee’s 95 counties. A 4-H and Future Farmers of America building and a building to house perishable items where hay and field crops competitions were new last year.
What else is new?
Two new competitions will be a husband-calling contest at 3 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 19. The competition is open to all fairgoers, with one minute to call your husband and a husband-calling outfit encouraged. There is also a mom-calling contest at 1 p.m. the same day for ages 5-9. Grain art, corn eating and a state honey show are among other new competitions.
The new Pick Tennessee Products Experience in the Turner Evans Building will allow people to shop for items made in in the state, with daily demonstrations of made-in-Tennessee products and commodities, free samples, games for kids and items for sale.
Crowd favorites
Racing pigs: Brand new All-American Racing Pigs will have multiple shows each day.
Birthing barn: The popular exhibit has several different animal species bred to give birth during the fair.
Poultry and rabbit barn: 800-900 different chickens on exhibit; 60 or more rabbits; and also a duck pond.
K9s in Flight: Rescue dogs doing different airborne tricks.
Dock Dogs: Canines doing different aquatics.
Cat and dog shows: A cat show at 7 p.m., Sunday, and a dog show at 7 p.m., Wednesday.
Hypnotist: Richard Barker.
Farmer Pete: Stilt walker tied to agriculture information.
Eudora Farms: Exotic petting zoo.
Hillia Hula Hoop Extraordinaire: Hula hoop tricks and comedy.
Best of Tennessee competitions: State canning and honey show are also among new contests.
FFA ham breakfast
The fundraiser for the Tennessee Future Farmers of America Foundation that’s been part of the state fair now draws about 1,200 at the Farm Bureau Expo Center. Tennessee Valley Authority President and CEO Jeff Lyash will be the keynote speaker for the breakfast, scheduled for 8 a.m., Monday, Aug. 21. Last year’s breakfast raised nearly $175,000 for plaques, awards and scholarships. For tickets call 931-372-6050 or visit Eventbrite at www.eventbrite.com/e/2023-tennessee-state-fair-ffa-ham-breakfast-tickets-541830217767?aff=erelexpmlt.
Four new rides
Reithoffer Shows will be the carnival operator. New rides include:
New York New York: Patrons will walk through a maze of tricks that include a rotating barrel, toboggan, vibrating footboard, rolling carpet and a swirling slide exit. Riders must be at least 47-inches tall to participate without an adult and 41-47-inches tall to enter with an adult.
Speedy Gonzalez: A family roller coaster that is a smaller version of the adult-size coasters.
Ice Jet: LED lights, icy smoke effects, strobe lights and silver diamond-plated deck flooring and a music system to transport riders on a trip through the frozen tundra.
Hulk: The pendulum ride will swing from right to left and goes 360 degrees over the top. When fully extended the pendulum is about 60 feet in the air. Four cars will hold four riders each for a total of 16 passengers at any one time. With about 15 spins, the ride will last about two minutes. Riders must be at least 55-inches tall and no taller than 77 inches.
The popular Euro Slide also returns. The carnival will include kiddie rides, adult rides spectacular and super spectacular rides.
Education and demonstrations
Fiddlers Grove Historical Village: The old time village within the Ward Agricultural Center will have more than 30 demonstrations, including blacksmithing, broom making, wood turning, a working grist mill, basket weaving and soap making. Antique tractors on display and a model train exhibit in the train museum are popular. Buildings that represent historical Wilson County include a general store.
Demonstration highlights at the B-Turner Evans Building: To be held throughout the fair, will range from cooking with hemp, presented by the Hemp Alliance of Tennessee, at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 17, to the Meet a Farmer/Rancher and Beef Cooking Demo, presented by the Beef Industry Council, at 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 25.
Food
Funnel cakes, walking tacos, prime rib sandwich, roasted corn on the cob and spiral potatoes are among fair favorites, and there are plenty of cold drink and frozen snack options to cool you off. Nearly 100 food vendors are expected.
Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com or 615-726-5939 and on Twitter @ AndyHumbles.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Rides, exhibits: Inside the Wilson County–Tennessee State Fair
